


Sick Day

by JustSmileStuffHappens (ksz13)



Series: Buddie / 9-1-1 Prompt Fills [72]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Crack, Evan Buckley Week 2020, Fluff and Crack, Gen, Humor, Lies, Misunderstandings, Not Beta Read, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28626309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksz13/pseuds/JustSmileStuffHappens
Summary: Sick - Adjective1: affected with disease or ill health2: spiritually or morally unsound or corrupt3: sickened by strong emotion4: mentally or emotionally unsound or disordered5: lacking vigor6: slang : outstandingly or amazingly good or impressive
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Buddie / 9-1-1 Prompt Fills [72]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582147
Comments: 1
Kudos: 48





	Sick Day

_ Sick _ Day

"Are you warm enough?" Eddie asked while checking up on Buck. Buck never called in sick so he had to come over even after picking up Christopher. 

He must really be down and out in order to not go to work when he remembers how bad Buck fought to get back and a story from Hen about him coming while feverish once before.

But low and behold Buck was lying in bed with a cloth over his forehead wrapped up.

"I'm okay. Thanks for coming though. But keep your distance. I don't wanna get you sick man. I'll be fine in no time man, no biggie Eds," Buck sounded fine though.

"Well, Chris is waiting downstairs by the door. If you need anything just call me alright." Eddie offered fully knowing he probably wouldn't. Getting Buck to ask for help without him thinking he was being an inconvenience to others was a hard thing to do. 

But then again Eddie wasn't blind to seeing the irony there.

"Give my buddy a hug for me. And you didn't have to come. Thanks for the soup." Buck smiled and for a second he looked normal but the low light in the room could have been playing with Eddie's eyes.

"Okay. We're gonna go. Chris made this on the way over." Eddie handed the card to him before starting downstairs.

Buck watched him go with a heavy heart. He was such a bad friend and an even worse person for lying to them like this.

They didn't actually have to worry about him. It was a lie.

Buck jumped up after half a minute once Eddie closed the door downstairs to his place.

He had to get going, now.

* * *

"Did he look bad?" Christopher asked his father as they went towards where the truck was.

Maybe he should have let Chris see Buck from a distance but Buck had said he didn't know what it was and to be safe.

"No. He looked fine. Probably feels worse than it is. Buck takes good care of himself. The soup 'll get him up and moving before you know it kid. Promise." Eddie tried reassuring his son. They both loved Buck to death. 

He was-

"The soup worked fast." Christopher said as he tilted his head looking at the opposite side of the apartment complex.

Buck was- walking.

"What?" Eddie was confused. And hurt. But mostly confused.

"Where's he going?" Christopher asked as they watched him go.

"I don't know." But I want to.

We're gonna find out.

"Come on. Let's see." Eddie helped Christopher into the truck faster so they could catch up and follow him.

It wouldn't be that hard to do, he was on foot. 

The traffic was light and Buck hadn't noticed then tailing him.

"What are you doing Buck?" Eddie asked himself aloud. 

"Is Buck a secret agent dad?"

"No son. But I hope it's important enough for what he did." Eddie narrowed his vision as Buck entered an alley preventing them from following him easy.

Eddie had to drive around the building he walked between.

They saw Buck jogging farther away now since they got caught by a light. Did he spot them?

"Who's he talking to?" Christopher asked from the back seat as they parked. 

Buck was standing in front of a business with someone coming to the door. 

They seemed to know Buck well, they hugged him and were talking actively with their hands.

"Buck has a dog?"

"No. Buck can't have a dog. His place doesn't allow them. He might be walking their- it's an animal shelter bud." Eddie recognized the name now. 

Buck had mentioned it before saying he donated to it after meeting a tech there on a call.

Was he going to walk a dog?

"That's a lot of dogs." Christopher said as Buck suddenly had two handfuls of leashes with dogs attached.

"Is this Buck's other job?"

"I don't think so, but- I don't know though. Maybe." Eddie felt thrown for a loop. 

He didn't see this coming and Eddie felt like he knew Buck.

Maybe this was just something he didn't want to talk about.

Buck was suddenly waving and on the move with his herd, no, pack of various dogs in tow.

"Are we gonna follow him?" Christopher asked. The 'again' part was silently implied.

"Yeah, your seatbelt's still on,"

Christopher nodded to his dad.

Eddie tried to keep a distance while minding the little traffic.

This was getting ridiculous. 

Buck pretended to be sick. In order to walk dogs. Because?

Buck managed to keep the dogs under control as he walked the sidewalk farther from the shelter.

Eddie wanted to drive up and ask Buck straight out about it.

But what would he say? 

I know you lied. We saw you and decided to follow you. 

Following might be weird but he could have told Eddie. He wouldn't tell someone else something that want his to say.

Sure they shared things with the others but there were some things that weren't theirs to say.

Buck stopped for a bunch of them to pee on a post.

Eddie felt both relief that Buck didn't have to handle them pooping but also if they had it would be deserved too. Handling them while doing that would be a chore in and of itself.

Buck started to climb the steps to a large building. That's it.

They couldn't follow him in the truck anymore. But-

They'd come this far.

"Can we get down?" Christopher asked while looking at his dad.

"Yeah." Eddie nodded.

'We probably shouldn't be doing this.' Eddie thought for the slightest bit of a second. 

The thought quickly vanished.

Whatever this was, it wasn't bad. He knew that much. It was odd in appearance but- it was Buck.

"Hold on to me, kiddo." Eddie said as they got out of the truck and made the short trek up. 

They entered the center and Eddie saw the smallest bit of a tail rounding a corner. 

With Christopher besides him they walked past rooms labeled with various activities today.

Upon turning the corner they were greeted by a crowd.

Buck was surrounded by the dogs and each was being fawned over by seniors.

"Dad, what does that sign say?"

Eddie read it. 

"Canine Elderly Outreach. C.E.O. Every other Tuesday of the month. 5:30 - 6:30. All are welcome. Adoption inquires see handler for information please." 

Eddie could only imagine how he looked with his mouth open.

"Canine, like dog right?" 

"Yes, you're right Chris." Eddie nodded after collecting himself.

It was at that second that Buck must have noticed them.

"Eddie? Christopher?" 

He looked just as confused and surprised as Eddie felt just then.

"Hi Buck!" Christopher cheered.

Eddie followed him over as Christopher made his way towards Buck with the dog he still had a hold of from the group.

"Ha, uh. I can explain." Buck grimaced looking uncomfortable. "Wait. Weren't you going home?"

"We would have but we saw our best friend was suddenly doing better and decided to check up on him, make sure you were okay? And we were curious." Eddie admitted the latter part more quietly than the rest.

"Welcome to the C.E.O. meeting. All of these dogs are from my friend's shelter. She couldn't make it and her usual stand in was on vacation so- she asked me since I've done it one time before a while back." Buck said as an older man came by.

"Max reminds me so much of Buddy. Who's your friend Buck?" George asked while petting the dog Buck currently had.

"Oh. George these are my best friends Eddie and Christopher. We work together. Eddie, Chris, this is George." Buck introduced them to each other.

"Can I pet Max?" Christopher asked Buck excitedly.

"If your dad says it's okay. All the dogs that get to come are well behaved." Buck looked to get an all clear from Eddie first.

"Go ahead Chris." 

While Christopher was sitting eating a cookie and talking to a little girl that came with her big sister, Eddie started to talk to Buck about all of this.

"You called in to work to do this? And you faked being sick to walk dogs over here." Eddie laughed. "They're lucky to have you as a friend. And I'm lucky too. Sorry for following you."

"In my defense, I didn't expect you to come over or bring Christopher. I'm sorry I lied. I don't know what I was thinking."

"I'll admit, it's a lot to take in. But it's nothing bad. Chris is probably going to be sad you aren't a secret agent though." Eddie teased as Christopher came back over to them.

"Maya's going home. Can I meet the other dogs since it's almost over?" Chris asked while more people left the room.

"That is a definite yes bud."

Christopher got to meet all seven of them. From Max all the way to Spot. Each a different breed or mix except for the two that were from the same litter.

The visitors left with a few of them having taken a pamphlet or copying the number to the shelter in the hopes of adoption.

"So. You've gotta walk all of them back before it gets dark?" Eddie asked as the three of them left the room together.

"Yep. That's the fun part. Some of them might have to go now with the excitement and treats." Buck smiled and tilted his head.

"Why does this sound completely like something you'd do? Going out of your way for a friend to do something good, not telling a lie." Eddie sighed next to him.

"Hey. I'm a good friend. Or at least, I try to be." Buck replied.

"Come on. We'll race you there. You want a ride home?" Eddie asked while pulling out his keys.

The walk was a little long going back. Indeed one of the dogs, Coco had to go and Buck needed to bag out and throw it away. It was an ordeal.

Eddie and Christopher were parked near the front of the shelter and saw him coming as he got caught by a cross light. 

Buck took the dogs in along with the bag of balls and other toys before coming out to them.

"Can I get a ride?" Buck asks at Eddie's window with a smirk.

"Hmm. I don't know. Yeah, Chris?" Eddie asked.

"Yes! Get in Buck." Christopher said from the back seat.

"Thanks bud." 

Christopher talked to Buck about the event and how school was all the way back to his place.

"Well, I guess it's time for you guys to go. But it was fun right?"

"It was awesome!" Chris shouted.

"Or. You could come with us. Since you're sick." Eddie teased. "To make sure you're getting better and taken care of."

Buck was about to say something to that but closed his mouth and just smiled. 

"That sounds like a good idea. Let me grab my bag." Buck went upstairs to his place as Eddie and Christopher waited for him.

They picked up some food on the way home and Christopher was already planning the movie they would watch after a game. 

Half way through the movie after playing and losing at connect four Buck's phone started going off erratically.

"You gonna check that?"

"It's probably nothing." Buck pulled out his phone and unlocked it to view all the notifications pouring in.

"Oh God. Kick me." Buck said quietly while throwing his head back against the couch as more comments and texts came in one after another.

Someone from the center had taken a picture and posted it while tagging both him and the LAFD even though neither of them had their uniforms on. 

All of the others now knew too.

Chimney said he couldn't believe it. 

Hen was rolling on the floor laughing or so she said. 

Bobby sent a 'Oh really?'

Today's craziness wouldn't end but Buck wouldn't have it any other way really. He was at Eddie's relaxing with his favorite people so things were good.

He could have come clean a little sooner but the thought hadn't come to him though.

"Next time, just so ya know, even though it's called taking a sick day you don't have to actually be sick Buck." Eddie joked while pulling out his phone.

He liked the picture and commented on it about not being sure if Buck had a gift for talking to dogs or if they were just really good. 

Buck took the opportunity to add a link to the shelter website. If one person saw it and looked into it then he'd put up with the jokes of the others finding out.

Maddie was texting him asking why she didn't know about this as Athena said she knew he had a soft spot for kids but it turns out fuzzy babies also did it too.

"So how does it work? I forgot to ask while we were there?" Eddie finally remembered now.

"Oh. The retirement homes bus the ones who want to come. It's better than going there when some don't want to or can't be around pets for allergies. Just because they can't have dogs doesn't mean they can't enjoy some of the benefits of them." Buck winked with a smile. 

"Shh. The songs coming up." Christopher hushed them.

"Ooh. My favorite part."

"It's the only part you remember." Eddie quipped.

"Because it's the best part."

Buck sang it out of tune while they couldn't help but laugh and start to sing along with him.

The Diaz house was filled with the sounds of them having fun in the early night.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts:  
> 1\. Are you warm enough  
> 2\. We probably shouldn't be doing this  
> 3\. Hold on to me  
> 4\. Can I try "pet them"  
> 5\. Stay with me "us"  
> 6\. Please kiss me "kick"  
> 7\. Free choice


End file.
